Gun-destroying means.



J. A. STEINMETZ.

GUN DESTROYING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I4. 1913.

1 ,299,869. Patented Apr. 8,1919.

JosephflSteirzmetf;

be separate from the shell.

J'OSEPH A. STEINMETZ, OF PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA.

GUN-DESTROYING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 14, 1918. Serial No. 240,020.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH A. STEINMETZ, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Gun-Destroying Means, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a destroying shell for guns and the object of myinvention is to provide a shell by which the gun, when about to beabandoned, may be destroyed beyond repair; a further object of myinvention is to provide a destroying shell which may be ignited by thefiring mechanism of the gun; a still further object of my invention isto provide a shell which may be safely carried upon the gun carriage andhandled without danger of an explosion, as it contains no explosivecharge; and a still further object of my invention is to provide adestroying shell which may be used strategically by placing one or moreof said shells in an ammunition case with regular shells and placing theammunition case upon abandoned ground, which is expected will beoccupied by the enemy, and marking said case of ammunition For use withenemy guns of caliber. When the destroying shells are found by the enemyand used in their guns, destroyed.

In carrying out my invention I construct a shell or container with acharge of inflammable substance instead of a propelling charge ofexplosive. Thus when fired the shell will not be expelled from the gun.

The inflammable substance with which the shell or container is chargedis known on the market as thermit, which is a com-' pound consisting ofa mixture of aluminum and iron oxid, and is used in foundry practice forwelding. Thermit may be ignited by an electric spark, black powder orspecial powder and on reaction produces superheated liquid steel at'atemperature of over three thousand degrees Fahrenheit, which will meltand dissolve any metal with which it comes in contact, amalgamates withit, and when cool forms a solid homogeneous mass.

The destroying shell may be provided with a fuse or primer containingblack powder or other thermit starter, or the primer may The primer isso arranged that the firing mechanism of the gun Will start it burn ngand the primer lery which, due

their guns will be shell 5 and I any will in turn ignite the thermit inthe contamer or shell. The thermit, when burning, melts the metal shelland the parts of the gun with which it comes in contact and the moltenmetal will flow into the breech of the gun and weld the breech blockfast in the gun and destroy the latter beyond repair.

Referring to the accompanying drawing; F igure 1, is a side elevation,(partly in sectlon), of a gun, showing a sheath suspended thereoncontaining the destroying shell; Fig. 2, is a longitudinal sectionthrough a shell containing the destroying charge; Fig. 3, is a similarview showing a different form of shell containing the destroying charge;and Fig. 4, is a perspective view of an ammunition case containing oneor more destroying shells.

In the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer tolike parts, 1 represents a gun, of a type of field artilto its weight,cannot be quickly conveyed to a place of safety and therefore must bedestroyed in case of a sudden retreat. 2 represents a shell fordestroying the gun, which shell may be carried in a sheath 3, secured inany convenient place upon the gun carriage, so that the shell will beaccessible and also insure its being kept separate from the regularammunition.

In Fig. 2, a shell of the fixed ammunition type is illustrated, in whicha shell or projectile 5 is used in conjunction with the cartridge case6, usually containing the propelling charge. In place of loading the thecartridge case 6 with the usual explosive charges, I load them withthermit 12 which is a non-explosive. The

thermit may be ignited by any standard form of primer now in use forshells, such as shown at 8, Fig. 2. Said primer contains black powderand a percussion cap adapted to be discharged by the firing mechanism ofthe gun.

Fig. 3, illustrates a projectile 10, without cartridge case. Theprojectile 10 is loaded with thermit 12 instead of a high explosive. Anaperture 13 is provided in the base of the shell 10 for igniting thethermit 12 in the shell 10. An inflammable cap or plug 14 is used forsealing the aperture 13, which cap 1 1 will be readily consumed andallow the flame from the'starting primer to pass through the aperture 13and ignite the contents of the container,

Patented Apr. 8, 1919. I

a gas mngs may be removed from the shell,

to allow sufiicient gas to escape around the shell to prevent an excesspressure of gas being formed back of the shell.

Fig. ft, illustrates an ammunition case 16 containing one or moredestroying shells along with regular shells. The said case is marked insuch a manner as to deceive the enemy, by indicating thereon that theammu- -n1tion is for use with enemy guns when captured. When thisammunition is used in their guns the guns will be destroyed.

Having thus described my invention I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent: 1. A container adapted to be placed in a gun, .a'chargeof inflammable material in .said container adapted to burn withsuflicient heat when ignited to destroy the gun.

2. A container adapted be placedin a V i neeasee gun, a charge ofinflammable material in sald container adapted to burn with suflicientheat to destroy the gun and means .for igniting the inflamma tainer. 1

3. A container adapted to be placed in a gun, a charge of inflammablematerial in said container adapted to burn with sufficient heat todestroy the gun and a rlmer in said container for igniting the saidinflammable charge.

4. A shell for guns, a charge of inflammable material in said shelladapted to burn material in said conwith su'flicient heat to melt theshell, and.

means for igniting, said inflammable material.

5. A shell for guns,

a non-explosive charge in said shell adapted to burn with sufiicientheat to melt the shell, and a primer in the I shell for igniting thecharge in the shell.

6. A shell for guns, a charge of thermit in said shell, and means forigniting the contents of the she-l1.

7. A shell for guns, a charge of inflamm-able material in said shellconsisting of aluminum and iron oxid, and means for igniting the saidcharge in the shell.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH A. sTEm n z.

